The borough of Rosemont-La-Petite-Patrie is currently working on the revitalization of its public spaces and parks and on urban development in order to improve its residents’ quality of life. In this context, MU proposed to complete the revitalization efforts by producing a large-scale mural, which would be in continuity with the mural that MU produced in 2014 in Parc Bélanger-Chateaubriand.

The mural was carried out by Annie Hamel, a Montreal mural artist who has undertaken several collaborations with MU in the past. The artist’s talent for recreating the texture of fabric with paint was featured in the textiles which form the mural’s background, establishing the setting which surrounds the silhouettes of children on their swings.

Interestingly, the wall on which the mural was painted has been the canvas for a mural since the 1980s. That mural unfortunately fell into disrepair due to a lack of maintenance. This new mural pays tribute to the original one, revisiting its theme with a nod to its principle elements (children and swings) while adding colour, vitality and movement, in continuity with the artist’s specific pictorial exploration. The mural also highlights the legacy of Sister Madeleine-Gagnon, — the park was renamed in her honour in 2013 — founder of the Maisonnette des Parents which has contributed to the the fight against isolation and the reinforcement of human bonds in La Petite-Patrie for 25 years.

The artist was assisted by Kassandra Quinteros, Marie Lemieux, Claudia Persechino, Bianca Leblanc, Marianne Blondeau, as well as Marie-Hélène Coutu during the various stages of the project’s completion.

Artistic workshops were also offered to youths from 13-17 years of age, in partnership with the youth centre L’Hôte Maison.